Game week

With the USMNT back in action this weekend @ Slovakia in their first warm-up match since qualifying last month, I thought it would be a good time to get writing again.

First and foremost...the game is this Saturday, 11/14 @ 10 AM EST on Fox Soccer Channel.

Bob Bradley called up his 22.

It would be a surprise to see this team come out with a win for a few reasons. Slovakia was the automatic qualifier from their group and while most of their players aren't recognizable to most American soccer fans, they have an excellent showing within the Bundesliga and scattered throughout other Eastern European leagues.

BB has also not brought in his A team, which is understandable and probably for the better. The major omissions include probably the two most valuable national team pieces in Landon Donovan and Tim Howard.

Unfortunately, despite last week's call up, Edgar Castillo will not make is USMNT debut against Slovakia. Hopefully we will get a chance to see him against Denmark on the 18th.

With Jay Demerit and Oguchi Onyewu still sidelined, it will be interesting to see how the defense reacts.

In light of Charlie Davies' accident there is a chance for Jeff Cunningham and/or Eddie Johnson to make a splash upon their return to the national team. Both have to be seen as having a chance at spot but will have to earn it. A little disappointed not to see Kenny Cooper on the list but once again, that makes it more likely he'll get time against Denmark.

I will have a more complete breakdown later this week; seriously this time.

Back to Charlie Davies and his status. Based on some of his teammates tweets in the twitter-verse, and the traditional outlets, he seems to be doing better and is on what will probably be a long road to recovery.

UPDATE: Charlie Davies has been released from Washington Hospital Center.

US Soccer has to feel as if there is no shot he participates next summer and they must figure out how to compensate. Personally, I think the best option is pairing Jozy Altidore upfront with Clint Dempsey. Dempsey has shown an eye for goal and his creativity can get a little lost on the wing. He doesn't have the pace to beat most defenders with pure speed, so why not make him the 2nd striker. His creativity would probably serve Altidore well and Dempsey's inclination to shoot from outside the area also has to be appreciated. His control is also probably the best of the bunch and that can go a long way in winning penalties, see Fulham v Wigan, 11/8/09.

This was my point of view even before Davies went down so I think it is the logical progression.

There is also enough depth on that right hand side to move Dempsey forward. Pace? Stuart Holden. Control/creativity? Feilhaber.

Random Note...

The original topic for this blog, Marcus Tracy, scored his first goal of the Danish season in a rare start on Saturday. It was his team's only goal and secured them much needed 3 pts.

Goal here.

Interview here.

With the lack of attacking options for the US, is there a single good reason why he shouldn't be in the 22 for the Denmark friendly?

Reactions: US v Costa Rica 10/14/09 & WCQ

It's been almost 48 hours since the US's improbable tie against Costa Rica and in a concerted effort to let it stew for a while before providing some reflection, here it is. (Ha, really just being lazy)

In the realm of qualifying for South Africa, the only real implication it had was this....

Awesome video and a great moment for Honduras; congrats on your first visit to the dance since 1982, courtesy of...Jonathan Borenstein.

In the realm of how the US team qualified, and in light of recent events, it was an excellent result and well deserved.

The team was clearly a little shook from the get go, with the only real spark coming from Jozy Altidore, who clearly wanted to score and honor his boy Charlie Davies. He provided a gilt edged chance to Game 9 hero, Conor Casey, in the infamous 9th minute but Casey could not deliver. From then on Altidore was busting his ass to get in position to score and came close a few times but just seemed unable to gain any composure when it came time. That performance showed again why he is considered such a promising young American though and he is my American Man of the Match.

The combination of size and speed and vision is unseen in an American Striker. Hopefully he can gain some playing time at Hull City and refine some of the finer points of his game moving towards next summer. Phil Brown thinks he will get his chances as the EPL unfolds.

The pressure on Altidore only intensifies with Davies likely to miss the WC now. Hopefully he can gain some inspiration from Davies, as he seemed to do on Wednesday night. There is also the question of who takes Davies spot, I will try to address in the next few days.

Moving to his strike partner, Conor Casey did not take his chances as effectively on Wednesday as he did last Saturday. It's unfortunate b/c that is how he is effective. Every now and then he will provide a random nice flick but if he's not finishing when the opportunities present himself, he isn't the solution for BB. His touch and his finishing were both lacking in DC and it was nice to see Bradley give Kenny Cooper a chance in the 72', although I would have like to see it a few minutes earlier.

Cooper will get a chance to refine his form this winter though as he seems to have a solid role at Bundesliga.2 club 1860 Munich. I think he deserves to get chances during the warm up friendlies and, barring a disaster, probably a squad spot in SA.

BB's sub which was probably the difference maker was the introduction of Jose Francisco Torres in the 62'. He hasn't gotten many chances since the early rounds of the hex but he finally got some time and made the most of it. He looks very comfortable on the ball, at multiple speeds and has great long range passing vision/accuracy. Something that is sorely lacking from many of the US midfielders. He also puts great pace on his crosses and that corner kick for Borenstein was perfectly placed.

He replaced Benny Feilhaber, who underwhelmed against Costa Rica. I am as big a fan of his style of play as you will find but sometimes he seems to try to do too much...call it Dempsey syndrome...and he ends up giving it away. I love his vision and calm nature on the ball though, maybe he can be flexed to the RM role much more effectively than Torres.

I thought Michael Bradley played well once again and love his forward thinking play. He also distributes the ball pretty well and isn't afraid to get into the fray. His eye for goal is also key as we haven't seen goals come from the CM role for the US in a long while....John Harkes anyone?

Donovan once again proved to be dangerous with the ball although sometimes his touch deserts him. This can be brutal when playing the highest level teams who will make the US earn all their possession and make as much out of each one as possible. He also seems to have only one playing speed....full steam ahead, he's gotta develop that intermediate role and look to spray the ball a little further.

Stuart Holden looked okay and I thought Robbie Rogers introduction in the 68' was a definite spark. His pace late in the game is enough to make any LB a little nervous after the 70'.

What seems to be lacking for the US is quality service though. Crosses drift over the cross bar or are floated in there way too often. Opposing GKs have a field day with them and its a total waste of possession.

In the defensive third, the Onyewu injury will hurt, especially if he can't find time to get back into match fitness/form before South Africa. What looked to be a promising year for the American Center Back has now turned into a trying 3-4 month recovery period. He did get absolutely abused on that first CR goal though.

Bocanegra was solid but seems to have problems closing on the ball and often gives up these long range bombs that leave Howard out to dry. That first goal was a beauty but someones got to be in his face as soon before he even looks tempted to shoot. How the central of defense adjusts to his absence will be interesting to watch as the US starts playing these warm up friendlies (the first one against also-qualified Denmark on 11/18 in Aarhus).

Borenstein showed some real heart in the LB role and that goal was an awesome way to cap it all off. He likes to get into the mix too and is aggressive going forward but lacks that final ball into the box.

On the other side, Cherundolo was decent but nothing worth noting other than the fact that he got beat with pace a bunch. The two wide fullback roles are still major ?s.

More on the squad moving forward coming up next....

WTWF: USA v Costa Rica - 10/13/09

UPDATE: This blog is providing excellent status updates.

It is with a suddenly emotional match tomorrow night in Washington DC that the US finishes their qualifying campaign for the 2010 WC.

Taking into account the fact that they have secured qualification and today's frightening development, let's keep tomorrow's game in perspective. While finishing the CONCACAF qualifying hexagon in first would be a great finish to what has to be considered a successful summer of preparation and would probably carry some weight in Dec 4th's draw, this team will have larger questions weighing on their mind.

This is not to say that they will roll over. It is a chance for a player, or a few, to take a leadership role and decide how the team will respond.

I am not going to get into specifics now but watch how they respond as a team.

Keep Charlie Davies in your positive thoughts for the next few days.

He's getting crazy love in the twitter-verse.

This AP link from the top will probably give the most reliable status updates as fast as anything.

Lock it in: South Africa, June 2010

It's a good thing I didn't write that final preview for the US v Honduras game as it definitely would not have come close to foreshadowing that type of result. Overall it seemed more like Honduras were intimidated at home and the US was able to capitalize when opportunities presented themselves.

I though the inclusion of Stuart Holden worked out pretty well, as he showed flashes down the right hand side and defended pretty. His handball late could have been disastrous but he got lucky. Hopefully he this valuable experience helps him to keep improving. His service from the right is more often than not, exceptional.

Speaking of which, a great ball into Charlie Davies midway through the first half really should have been finished. Improving as a striker means those are the chances that must be taken calmly. Davies didn't seem to be a threat at any other time although his pace clearly makes opposing defenders nervous.

His striker partner, the surprising inclusion, Conor Casey is the headline stealer as the US secured their 6th World Cup birth in a row. Never a threat with the ball at his feet but who can argue with two goals. The first one is the type I hate as it reinforces that kick and pray type of soccer which is so often associated with Americans. It is rarely effective and Casey got lucky that the Honduran GK was indecisive enough to allow him to get there first. The second goal was the product of a great ball from Donovan but did require a clinical finish; never underestimate the importance of clinical finishing from a striker and this is was Casey brings to the game. He will not create chances on his own but give him a chance and he is excellent at finishing.

Speaking of Landon Donovan, the Man of the Match IMO, for the US. He is the energy and vision going forward and he seems to be embracing the role of offensive leader for this team. As Donovan goes, so goes the US. His free kick, which turned out to be the game winner, was a blast but benefited slightly from more suspect Honduran GK'ing. His celebrations could also use some work, maybe talk to Davies and Altidore about that buddy. Will he get a shot to make a move to Europe in Jan? Does he want to? It might serve him well going into next summer but his form is so good right now that I am not sure you want to make such a drastic move.

Michael Bradley wasn't present for much of the game but did make some very good runs going forward. He also has a wicked right foot and isn't afraid to take his chances from outside the box, something you have to like to see.

Jonathan Spector and Jonathan Borenstein both provided some quality going forward, an important part of helping cohesive forward progress, but were definitely suspect in the back. I like the potential that Spector brings but his final ball never seems to be on the mark or direct enough. Borenstein sometimes seems to get lost out there and while I like his desire, he still has a way to go before being a threat.

In the center, Carlos Bocanegra was a beast. He was in position and came up with multiple key blocks. Maybe his role for the US is in the center but only if BB can find a valid solution on the left I think. Edgar Castillo, donde esta?

Oguchi Onyewu didn't seem to be at his best. From an early turnover followed immediately by a bad foul, his lack of playing time in Milan seems to be hurting. He did get in during Milan's latest CL debacle so hopefully that is a sign of things to come. His form going into next summer is as important as anyone in the back.

Overall it was an excellent way to guarantee a place next summer and avoided the must-win scenario that wouldn't be fun for anyone on Wednesday. The next step is putting together a win on Wednesday in DC, guaranteeing first place in the CONCACAF hexagonal stage, and making their case for being in one of the top 2 pools for the WC draw.

For those of you who didn't get to see any of the game....

US vs Honduras Highlights - 10/10/09

US @ Honduras Midweek Update

Yo man, I think BB reads my fcking blog!!!! Yea right, lets not get out of hand here...but in a twist of events, Clint Dempsey has been ruled out with a Shoulder and taking his spot is USMNT classic/I Fischi favorite, Mr. Frankie Hejduk.

Personally, in Honduras, I think Hejduk should get the starting nod at RB. How can age trump experience, fitness, and the leadership he brings? Spector may be the future but this game requires points so BB should put forth the team that gives him the best chance.

Dempsey being out raises and interesting question about who will take his spot in the midfield. Personally, I think it immediately opens the door for Stuart Holden.

He has had a great summer and seems to be the sole beneficiary of the US's Gold Cup run. BB has taken a liking to him and gave him an oppt in the last two qualifiers.

Also the chance that he opens up with Feilhaber on the right side, although I think he is more natural in the center, or Jose Torres, although he hasn't proven too much lately.

Something useful beyond a roster release has come out of USSoccer.com, a CONCACAF hexagonal scenario generator. What it comes down to is that the US needs to get at least a point in Honduras. Costa Rica has to beat T&T if they want a shot at auto qualification and that should be fairly simple. If the US gets beat on Saturday night, it will make the final game next Wed. way more nervous than anyone wants.

Check back later this week for final pre-game thoughts.

Coming Back -> etc

After a prolonged absence from posting, here is an attempt at a return post.

If you weren't able to tell, September of the year before a World Cup is a crazy time in the world of soccer. From all the continental leagues starting, to World Cup qualifying breaks, to CL Group stages kicking off, to the U20 World Cup beginning; it's a monster month for the sport and impossible to keep up with unless you have the luxury of doing this for a living. It is with that in mind that I am making a bit of a change to this blog.

The focus of I Fischi from here on out will be the US Men's National Team; it is the team that I am most passionate about/which I feel I am most knowledgeable about and can therefore contribute the most. As they do not play that often, there will be bits and pieces about any other Soccer I feel like writing about. That's it.

US WCQ Update

Moving on, the US resumes qualifying a week from tomorrow in San Pedro Sula, Honduras against...naturally...Honduras. The full 22 man roster was released yesterday and can be found here, this also applies to the final qualifying match against Costa Rica on 10/14 in DC.

It seems that Stuart Holden has taken over Freddy Adu's bench spot. An interesting turn of events for one of America's all time overhyped athletes, although the kid does a great job of keeping his head on straight and working hard....at least his Twitter makes it seem like that. Ha.

No major surprise inclusions although it should be noted that Jay Demerit was left out due to a recent eye injury which has developed into an infection. He has been replaced by the 6'4'' Clarence Goodson.

There is still no sign of Frankie Hejduk since his 87' game saving goal in El Salvador. A little unfortunate considering the energy and veteran leadership he brings to this team. Not to mention the shaky situation in the back.

I am also dissapointed that BB didn't choose this opportunity to at least bring the recently defected Edgar Castillo into camp.

A quick note....Edgar Castillo is a 22 y/o Mexican left back who has taken advantage of a recently changed FIFA ruling that loosens the restrictions on switching Nat'l Team affiliations. Since he never been capped for the Mexican Sr side, he was allowed to file paper work and become a member of the American squad regardless of his age. Previously the cutoff to declare was 21 y/o. Having been born in Las Cruces, NM to Mexican parental units, he is a natural American. Jermaine Jones is in a similar situation but in the midst of an extended injury absence.

Castillo provides another possible solution at Left Back for the US and you can naturally see why BB wouldn't at least include him in camp to see how he would mesh with the rest of the squad. Come on BB, Edgar could be the best LB on the roster by next summer and with meaningful competition nearing its end, he should have at least been brought to camp.

Now that most of the American's are well into their European campaigns, it will be interesting to see how they all come together for this key matchup. As we have seen, these Central American countries are very difficult places to play on the road. Adding to that, Honduras is currently in the 3rd and final guaranteed spot in CONCACAF having 13 pts from 8 matches, only 1 ahead of Costa Rica. Being the 4th place team means a home and home with the 5th place team from South America, a spot which could very well be an Argentinian squad which no one wants to face, no matter how badly they are struggling. Of the top 4 teams, in order, US, Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica....none are in danger of missing out entirely but one of them will be forced to play for that final spot. With a W, the US rule that out...with an L, they are very much in the mix going into the final game against Costa Rica.

Every road trip the US has taken in this qualifying campaign has seen them put forth a poor performance. Whether it was a 1 goal victory against lowly T&T, a terrible performance at that Saprissa in CR, or a luckily salvaged tie in El Salvador this team has consistently failed to be at their best on the road. Whether its a lack of a vocal veteran presence or the pack the back and kick it forward coaching tactics which BB and co seem to resort to on the road, they need to put in a better performance next week. A tie would be acceptable, albeit not ideal, but a loss would put way too much pressure on themselves.

Some more commentary on the match itself coming later next week.

On another note, apparently this match will only be on closed circuit TV in the US. SeriouslY?! WTF? SUM? ESPN? GOLTV? FSC? Whoever dropped the ball clearly shit the bed here. Are we in 1983? this is absurd. For a list of locations (read: bars) showing the US v Honduras World Cup Qualifier on 10/10/09, click here. Apparently there is also a viewing party at the Play by Play bar inside MSG here in NYC, tickets are $20 (prior to stupid TicketMaster surchage) and are currently onsale. Details.

US U20

A few brief notes on the US Men's U20 World Cup campaign in Egypt. I didn't watch much besides the South Korea match today but the results are very schizo. Apparently they were totally outclassed by the Germans in the opener which was followed up by an excellent 4-1 win against Cameron and then today's 3-0 defeat to S Korea. All is not lost as apparently a few of the top 3rd place group teams make the knockout round but they will have to wait till group play wraps up tomorrow to find out for sure.

In years past, players like Freddy Adu and Jozy Altidore have impressed the world and shown that at this level at least the US can compete with the world. No one in this class seems to have stepped up yet, although you never know what might happen. + I hear some good things about this kid Dilly Duka out of Montville, NJ.

Overall I think there are some issues with the talent development model in this country but that can be saved for another post.

This Weekend & Randoms

Not a great weekend in the EPL but Sunday morning brings us a delicious Liverpool v Chelsea matchup at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea started on fire but lost at Wigan last week while Liverpool took some time to get on track but have been firing away in the EPL the last few weeks. Both are coming off subpar midweek CL results, a L/absolute drubbing in Florence for the Reds and a measley 1-0 win in Romania (i think) for the Blues. Liverpool is the team which ended Chelsea's 80-something home match unbeaten streak last season and has the confidence to know they can win. Can the recover from their poor midweek showing against a Chelsea team eager to get back to winning league games? 11 AM, Sunday AM, FSC. Watch.

The always classy Thierry Henry on life now and the influence of Arsene Wenger

David Stern? Yes, that David Stern on whether or not the EPL should play games abroad

When Sir Alex Ferguson speaks, its worth listening

A sickkkkkkk goal scored by a HS kid from Westport, CT. Credit to his coach, my friend and burgeoning mentor, Dan Woog.

WTWF: US v El Salvador (9/5/09)

The USMNT resumes their qualifying bid Saturday (read: tonight) at 8PM on ESPN Classic vs El Salvador.

The men find themselves tied for 3rd place with Honduras on 10 pts with 4 games left to play. Not a terrible situation but they lead Mexico by only 1 spot. Being that the top 3 qualify automatically, while the 4th has to play a home and home playoff against the number 5 team from South America, the US can not afford any slip ups the next two qualifiers.

At home outside of Salt Lake City, the US has no reason not to win this game and do so handily. El Salvador sits in 5th out of 6, on only 5 pts from 6 games. Click here for a complete table and results/schedule.

BB knows they today is a must win and an inexcusable game to lose and I think you'll see him put forth what he considers his top squad.

Personally, I hope and think this "top squad" should contain Charlie Davies and Jozy Altidore at the striker pairing. They both have been getting time immediately with their new teams and have impressed at Sochaux and Hull. It's up to them to transfer that form to their national side and put away a goal or 2.

In the midfield, I think you will see Dempsey, Clark, Bradley, and Donovan. Clint Dempsey needs to step up and perform, too often do you not know what kind of performance he will bring and he has to solidify himself as a performer regardless of the opposition or stage. I think Benny Feilhaber could spell him and you would see virtually no drop off.

Defensively: Spector, Onyewu, Demerit, Bocanegra. I expect a clean sheet and tidy performances from all of them. They will probably not be tested often so it is up to them to maintain their focus and composure even when not called into action for large stretches.

Overall, hopefully the US does a good job of maintaining possession, attacking effectively throughout the game, and establishing themselves as the superior team w/o question. If they are as good as we all thought before the Mexico game, they must win this and make sure it is no contest. Then they must do it all over again on Wednesday night at Trinidad and Tobago.

Do work.

FC Barcelona on ESPN + Weekend of Randoms

This weekend set up very well for me to watch a lot of excellent soccer and in an attempt to make up for my lack of recent blogging, I figured I would share some thoughts.

BARCA
Most importantly; Tomorrow aka Monday 8/31 at 2:55 EST on ESPN here in the States, FC Barcelona begins their La Liga title defense against the Asturian side Sporting Gijon.

Gijon, whose narrow escape of relegation was considered a success, should not present much of a challenge. The onus, however, is on Barcelona to not overlook them and recover from their Friday, extra time 1-0 UEFA Supercup victory over Shaktar Donetsk. 2 quick trophies down....the fight for the next 4 is going to be a lot longer.

The defending champions will be with out Messi as he has received special exemption to join the Argentinian National team early in advance of their massive Sept 5th qualifier against Brazil. He will probably be replaced by Friday's supersub, Pedro.

Iniesta continues to recover from last season's muscle tear as well and will be out. The pressure on the big money man, Ibrahimovic, is growing as he looks to get on the chart with his new club after a relatively dissapointing (read: goalless) pre-season.

Anyway, if you aren't working 9-5 at a desk set an alarm...if you're in a cube, DVR that shit!

Also, Monday AM saw the return of my favorite English language La Liga columnist, Phil Ball.

US National Squad
Last Thursday BB and co released the 24 man roster for the upcoming WCQ; Saturday 9/5 vs El Salvador in Salt Lake City (8PM EST on ESPN Classic) and Wednesday 9/9 vs Trinidad & Tobago in Port of Spain (7PM EST on ESPN Classic).

I'll take a further look at the games and the implications as it all approaches.

U-20 coach, Thomas Rongen, has named the 21 players he will take to Egypt in late September for the U-20 World Cup. Apparently, continuing on this summer's theme, ESPN will broadcast all the games in some capacity so I will make an effort to give it some coverage here.

Man Utd/Arsenal
Arsenal continues to look impressive as Arsene Wenger's faith in this oft-criticized squad seems to be paying off. On the attacking front, Andrei Arshavin seems to be as dangerous as any attacker in the league right now and has a brilliant sense of the goal.

Alas, ManU pulled out a win in a way that only they can, while Wayne Rooney continued his goal a game pace this campaign. For attacking purposes, he must stay healthy for England going into next summer.

Abou Diaby's awful own goal will surely haunt him for many a night but this is a long season and an early season encounter at Old Trafford isn't the worst place to give away 3 goals. His overall performance was quite positive and he must put the gaffe behind him.

Even with out Fabregas out there, Wenger's men seem to be playing the type of football he wants and continue to be the most entertaining EPL team to watch.

In what will probably be Fabregas's last season at the Emirates, a title challenge would be a joy to watch. The return of Theo Walcott and, eventually, Samir Nasri will make their attacking options almost alarmingly broad and exciting. Also, it's only a matter of time before Jack Wilshire goes all Federico Macheda on us and instantly endears himself to the Gunner faithful.

After paying vague attention to the first half of the Derby della Madonnina (Inter v AC Milan) but not being at all surprised by the 4-0 final, I took off till this morning's Everton v Wigan matchup on FSC which was followed by my first chance to catch Juventus this season.

It was good to see Everton get some deserved points this season against a Wigan side that seemed more interested in fouls than anything else (defending, attacking, maintaining possession). I am in favor of defensive soccer but when it takes on the form of constant fouling is when it becomes anti-football. Wigan paid dearly when a well called penalty was won by Jo in the 93' and finished by Leighton Baines. Gotta shout out Timmy Howard as well, who came up with a massive kick save early in injury time to keep the game 1-1.

Juve/Roma
The final game of the weekend turned out to be the best one. Juve's highly anticipated summer signing, the Brazilian Diego, formerly of Werder Bremen, scored his first 2 goals of the season. Both were very well created by himself, finished superbly and showed first hand why the Torino squad wasted no time in signing him after last season. He provides the creativity, playmaking, and finishing that they were missing last season.

Felipe Melo also impressed in his defensive midfield role along with the central defensive pairing of a seemingly reinvigorated Fabio Cannavaro and a much improvied Giorgio Chiellini. No doubt they are both benefiting from Ciro Ferrara's installment at the helm last June.

Amauri and Vincenzo Iaquinta are playing with a lot of energy up front and are probably inspired by the lack of any sort of structure in the Italian National Team's forward situation and the subsequent opportunity to win a spot with the Azzuri for next summer's African trip.

Real Madrid Fire Sale

In an attempt to make some money before the transfer period closes, Real Madrid's sold multiple players at a loss late last week, both who impressed immediately.

Real sold Wesley Sneijder to Inter Milan late last week for €12 Million Euros less than they bought him for only 2 years prior. He was immediately given the no. 10 shirt and slotted into the starting lineup for this weekend's Derby. Seijder is what Mourinho was looking for this summer and should be what Inter needed to move beyond Italian dominance and make a European run. If he stays healthy, his creativity and strength in the attacking midfield role will be appreciated by the new strike force; Diego Milito and Eto'o.

Real also went and sold Arjen Robben to Bayern Munich late last week for €2 Million Euros less than they paid for him. The addition of Robben probably gives Bayern the most explosive attacking winger pair in all of Europe and it paid more immediate returns than Seijder, as the half-time substitute scored twice en route to a 3-0 victory. Both have had a history of injury issues but as their "understanding" contributed to both those goals, this signing is huge for a Bayern team who has had trouble finding their way lately.

A dissapointing Bundesliga finish last year and a Barcelona smoking could have resulted in more summer movement but they seem to have faith in their youth products (not always a bad thing). They started roughly this season as well and had trouble finding the net with Ribery not taking part till this weekend. I hope this convinces him to stay in Munich rather than join the Whites in Madrid, because this should make Munich as difficult to defend as anyone in Germany and possibly Europe (and extremely fun to watch...www.goltv.tv).

American - VIDEOS!!!

Can't forget...the Americans.

Jozy Altidore's first Hull City goal in the Carling Cup midweek clash against Southend United:


Charlie Davies draws the penalty which results in the only goal of Sochaux's 1-0 win against Monaco on Saturday:


If you want the full rundown, the "official USMNT blog" has a good one.

Cup of the World Video Special

Someone's excellent compilation of the top 50 WC goals of all time video as well...courtesy of Sacha Klejstan's Twitter page:

Interesting choice for number 1 but I guess this compilator values the team work of the Brazilians over the individual brilliance of Maradona.

Reaction: US v Mexico 8/12/09

Not going to spend too much time discussing what happened earlier today but just a few quick thoughts for now.

Overall, I think the US looked ok, they came out playing well and took the game right too Mexico. They kept the midfield battle pretty even and looked up to the task for the first 10'. Davies' goal was very well taken off a very nice move in the midfield from Donovan; great touch and a perfect ball. Davies took it in stride and finished calmly and clinically.

Thats about where the positives ended as right after the goal the US basically decided to pack the back and attempt to hold off Mexico. When the US has gotten up against some of these teams they aren't supposed to beat, this has been a popular style this summer and they have had trouble with the lead in these games. They must work on improving if they plan on using it further.

Some people are opposed to this style and while it frustruating to watch a team you are rooting for play against this style, it can be an effective way to win the game. See, Chelsea v Barcelona Champions League 2010 Knockout Round, or, 2006 World Cup Champion Italy.

It worked against Spain b/c they were able to play as a team and didn't get solely defensive until 75'. Against Brazil, they tried to do it for 60' and gave up 3 2nd half goals. Against Mexico, they seemed to try it for almost 80' after the goal. They didn't get more offensive even after Mexico tied it, saying basically..."we would be satisfied with a tie."

They lost their midfield form when BB pulled Bradley and Clark way deep and parked them directly in front of the CBs. They were totally taken from any possession role either as any time a defender found themselves with the ball it was usually sent almost aimlessly upfield, trying to find a fwd. Even when a fwd was able to win the ball up front they had very little support.

In order to pack the back effectively, you must have players closing down the ball immediately and your CMs should be trying to avoid letting the opposition get close to the box, rather than being parked directly at the top of the semi circle. A series of quick, accurate, and sometimes long passes can result in dangerous attacking chances.

Davies, Altidore, Donovan...have the speed and attacking style to be effective offensive players for this style, Brian Ching does not. Even when he does get up in the air and win a ball, his distribution was off and he had no one coming up to support him.

The introduction of Feilhaber and Holden helped spark some offensive work but BB still had Michael Bradley playing too deep, basically positioning him out of the ability to make any contribution. That ball from Holden which Davies came so close to putting away was brilliant. Their other chances were limited to a few corner kicks.

There were some instances when they were able to push up field, using quality/under control play from the backline but, even then, the proposed solution seemed to be a final long ball into the box. The US was caught standing around too often and had no sense of attacking purpose or form for almost the entire remaining 80'.

The final goal was well taken by Miguel Sabah but the only one with a chance at it was Tim Howard. From that range, it would have been a brilliant albeit not impossible save; it's tough to say, but thats what you sign up for 'keep.

We now see why the US is 0-23-1 in the Azteca. It is a difficult and hostile place to play, but the US was in great position early on. They gave it a great effort but unfortunately couldn't pull out the point they would have been satisfied with.

As I said prior though, this kind of result should not invoke too much hostility towards the team or their progress this summer and prospect moving forward. They have improved and have been in position twice to come up with massive wins. Use the lessons learned to continue that improvement for the next 10.5 months. Also...make sure you qualify.

Others thoughts...

• Ivan Galarcep, the classic soccer blogger, with some great reaction ESPN.com
• Goal.com player ratings and Goal.com "Winners and Losers"
• Player reaction: Bocanegra, Holden, Davies, Bradley Jr
  
• This could explain why Donovan seemed to fall out of the game...SWINE!

WTWF: US v Mexico 8/12/09

Overall it's important to remember that this isn't the most important match of the year for the US National team. They are in excellent shape in the final stage of qualifying, needing only 2 wins from the final 5 games. Mexico on the other hand, is holding onto the only playoff spot by a single point over El Salvador; a W here is integral to solidifying their spot.

That being said, it will provide an excellent measure, in a summer full of them, of where US Soccer stands in the region and the world right now.

Win and they cap off a summer full of positive results in historical fashion. More importantly it would put them on the verge of qualification and in position to win the hexagonal stage.

A tie would be respectable and proof that Mexico isn't really 5-0 better than the US.

A loss...esp another one of even multiple goals and, well, I shouldn't even "publish" that option.....but I try not to be superstitious about these things.

Into the good stuff...

Starting XI:

This is very close to the best 20 the US can put on a plane right now. Of those, I believe the best 11 includes Dempsey as the 2nd striker and Feilhaber as the wide attacking midfielder, however I doubt Bradley goes that route, especially to start. He will probably stick with what worked late in the Confed Cup, although I would like to see him put Davies up front from the get go.

Davies and Altidore from the start would put a lot more pressure on Mexico and forcing the issue would be smart of BB. Mexico absolutely needs to win this game and therefore will be pushing forward from the outset. This should open things up for the US's dangerous counterattack; an attack that is much more dangerous in that capacity with Davies and Altidore instead of Ching.

This could be more of a 4222 (and is probably more effective that way) but I think BB will start pretty conservatively and ask Dempsey to not get lost up front, letting Donovan be the primary MF->FW connector. This starting option also gives him the ability to bring Feilhaber in early in the 2nd half and push Dempsey forward, especially if they are trailing. Despite my hope that Davies starts, I think Ching will get the nod because of experience and probably gives way between 45' and 60' to Davies and his pace that everyone slurps.

------Howard------

Spector-Demerit-Onyewu-Bocanegra

Dempsey-Clark-Bradley-Donovan

Altidore-Ching

In getting down to 17 players, I think BB will leave Holden, Casey, and Bornstein to watch from sidelines.

Who to Watch:

Landon Donovan asserted himself as the leader of this team in the Confederations Cup and needs to use his experience to help the kids stay within themselves tomorrow. Dumb fouls, giveaways, kick and chase, etc will all be detrimental to the team. They must play the game they prepared to play and it will be on Donovan to ensure this happens, at least from the midfield forward.

Donovan should have a chance to shine with his play as well. The counterattack should be in full effect for the US and he is integral to their ability to break in the other direction.

Tim Howard has had a fabulous summer thus far and can cap it off tomorrow. The Mexican attack is very dangerous and Howard will undoubtedly be tested early and often. It will be up to him to ensure that the back line maintains their shape/discipline throughout, and come up with some big saves.

Jay Demerit seems to have helped the US find a LB solution in Carlos Bocanegra by proving himself in the Confed Cup. The time is now for him to make that CB position his for the next year.

Michael Bradley, a CM in the mold of Claudio Reyna, has a ton of talent and potential but the only thing holding him back is his temper. His quality this summer has so far been marred by letting it get the better of him too often. Tomorrow's atmosphere will be the most hostile he has ever seen, staying on the field is key to both the US's chances and his personal development.

Jozy Altidore/Charlie Davies...the chances for the US will probably by outnumbered by Mexico, so it will be that much more important to finish those that come up. These two, if healthy, should form the strike pair for the US next summer and this will be a good test for them.

In closing, the US has the quality and form to pull out a win tomorrow. Once the whistle blows though, everything goes out the window and its up to those 11 on the field to play as a unit. Azteca Stadium is one of the most difficult places in the world and this Mexican team is coming together, but the US has the quality and ability to play with anyone in the world for 90 minutes. Do it.

A few others....

• The NYTimes has a good digest of pre-game feelings
• The Times again, this time with a good/quick conversation with Tim Howard
• Official thoughts of the WWL
• Goal.com editors from around the world share their views on the game, very interesting to see what international sentiment and the players they call out
• A BB press conference from the other day
• One Goal.com US editor's list of keys to the game
• Grant Wahl's list of key's to the game...always provides excellent insight

US v Mexico TV Station Update:

A brief note on the TV situation for this game. CONCACAF WCQ TV rights are held by domestic broadcasters of the home team, Telemundo in this case. They couldn't come to an agreement to sell the rights to ESPN in the US, so it will be broadcast in Spanish on Telemundo and in english on Mun2. NBCUniversal announced that Mun2, which is regularly available in only 31 Million Homes nationwide, will be available free to twice that many homes tomorrow, including the following providers; ATT U-Verse TV, Charter, Comcast, DirecTV, Dish Network, and Time Warner Cable. Channels are in parenthesis...

Time Warner (Southern Manhattan) - Telemundo (47), Telemundo HD (747), Mun2 (126)

Cablevision (Southern Westchester) - Telemundo (16), Mun2 (197/227), Telemundo HD (714)

Anywhere else, I am apologize for leaving you out but TVGuide.com is real easy to use. www.TVGuide.com

Also, the WWL (affectionately known as ESPN) is broadcasting their own pre-game show from outside Azteca at 3:30 PM with Bob Ley and Alexi Lalas. A move that is utilized for most major American sporting events they don't broadcast but this will be the first time they have ever done it with a soccer game which isn't on their network.

Squad Picks: US v Mexico 8/12 - OFFICIAL

BB and co. have announced their squad for a short training camp before travelling to Mexico on Tuesday. In all its glorious nature....

GKs: Tim Howard, Brad Guzan

Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra, Jonathan Bornstein, Steve Cherundolo, Jay DeMerit, Chad Marshall, Oguchi Onyewu, Jonathan Spector

Midfielders: Michael Bradley, Ricardo Clark, Clint Dempsey, Benny Feilhaber, Stuart Holden, Jose Francisco Torres

Forwards: Jozy Altidore, Conor Casey, Brian Ching, Charlie Davies, Landon Donovan

Quick Thoughts:

This will mark many the first trip to the Azteca for a few of the key players out there and how the veterans are able to lead and the young ones cope with the atmosphere will tell a lot about how far this team has really come this summer.

Bocanegra, Onyewu, Donovan, and Dempsey will be counted on to lead while keep an eye on DeMerit, Bradley, Clark, Torres, Altidore and Davies to see how they respond to an atmosphere unlike any other.

The only real surprise inclusion is Chad Marshall, who BB must have liked enough during the Gold Cup to move up to the A squad. It also probably means that Bocanegra will be utilized as the LB and therefore another pure CB was needed. I like this.

It will be key for Michael Bradley to keep his cool in what will surely be the most hostile of environments. He is famous for his temper and will have all his tackles watched closely. He will be integral to the US's success/failure though and absolutely needs to stay on the field.

Glad to see Holden get a call up and even if he doesn't get in the game, it will be good experience to train and travel to the Azteca.

With Guzan's impressive performances during Aston Villa's preseason, I think everyone can be confident in the GK situation for a long time.

Not sure why BB needs both Conor Casey and Brian Ching as they are basically exactly the same player. Big and slow but willing to work hard. I don't think either has the pedigree to make an impact in the interational game though. Ching specifically brings WCQ experience but not the necessary skill.

The US is very thin up front, throughout the entire national team system, and will have trouble filling either Davies/Altidore's shoes should one or both go down with an injury. Even those two are still very very raw and will need to polish themselves in the coming year. Their performance here will be fascinating to watch but shouldn't torn apart.

I was going to put in my starting 11 + some of my own thoughts here but that can wait until next week when the game is upon us...along with some what to watch fors and maybe a prediction. Stay tuned and get pumped.

Happy Friday!

Others...

The NYTimes Goal Blog gets credit from me for breaking this

US Soccer's official posting with the necessary smoke blowing

The World Wide Leader and their obligatory brief call out...

WCQ Update - US v Mexico 8/12 @ 4PM EST???

Apparently the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) decided to schedule the August 12th World Cup Qualifying match against the US at 3PM local time (4PM EST).

This continues the trend between the two nations of going a step further in order to really cement their home field advantages....

The last US/Mexico qualifier (a 2-0 US victory) was a February game, played in the cold, 92% white/black, midwestern city of Columbus, OH. Compared with the other soccer markets in this country, Columbus is likely the most homogeneously American/least Hispanic (2.5% of the pop.). The last thing USSoccer wanted, understandably, was to hold it somewhere that the crowd could end up pro-opposition (read: Mexican).

Not really sure how a 3PM kick off would serve to increase the home field advantage, but I don't know why the FMF would do this unless they thought it was providing some sort of advantage. I am sure those 114k+ with tickets will still find a way to go and the stadium will still be a raucous mess for the Americans. Some possible advantages from an early game...

• It's so hot in Mexico in August that by 8PM everyone is just so tired that they can't be as loud?
• Mexicans love to drink around noon more than around 5 PM so they will get drunker and be even rowdier for a 3PM kickoff?
• You might think that 3PM would be brutally hot in Mexico City in August (the anti-Columbus, OH in Feb effect) but apparently b/c it's so elevated the climate is really mild and the avg Aug high temperature isn't even 80 degrees. That also rules out bullet point number 1.
• They think the Americans will be thrown off by a 3PM competitive game???

I am all for trying to increase your home field advantage in any sport but, honestly, I have no idea what the thinking behind this is....please let me know if you have a view...

I do know that for me it means I am either going to have to construct an excuse to leave my cubicle earlier than usualy or pull the always difficult, avoidance of sports news for a few hours and watch on DVR...at least 4PM is closer to EOD than those 2:30 Champions League starts.

Reflections on a W

So a give away goal wasn't really the start they were looking for on Saturday night but always better to give up a goal early than late....at least you have the time to fight back after that.

I think it served as a wake up call to Clint Dempsey; he's a great player but just b/c he had a great year at Fulham doesn't mean he's that much better than everyone around him. He constantly tried to do too much when he had the ball in Costa Rica and again early Saturday which ended up biting the entire team in ass. From there on out, he was fighting hard and seemed to trust his teammates, looking to pass a little earlier rather than continue to fool w/the ball. He must trust his teammates.

They were able to recover well after the goal and I thought Ricardo Clark did a great job in midfield. He was hungry and constantly getting in the mess, winning balls, and distributing quickly...albeit not always as accurately as liked.

I think the real spark came in the 2nd half subsitution; Benny Feilhaber. Not only did he bring creativity and direct passes but surprisingly did a great job tracking back and winning balls. Can't help but wonder if BB was surprised that he found a midfield that was successful w/o LB (Michael "Little" Bradley) as a cog.

I think Landon Dononvan, probably MotM, fed off of Feilhaber's substitution and he exploded for an energetic 2nd half. I think him coming off the left flank is ideal and his experience makes him a better option than Torres.

Conor Casey did well enough up front but I continue to maintain that the 2nd striker spot is awaiting someone to come and grab it. He's just not dynamic enough to translate MLS form into international success.

The Jonathans in the back did a good job as well; preferred Spector on the right but both worked hard, did pretty well playing the ball into the box, and weren't total liabilities defensively. (Going to be very interesting to see how they do in S Africa next week but more on that later in the week).

Bocanegra's goal was brilliant, he definitely has a sense for the big goal as all 3 of his WCQ goals are now game winners. After the first goal, him and Onyewu worked nicely together. His injury was unfortunate but it will be interesting to see how Demerit responds if Bocanegra can't play on Monday.

More on things to watch for in the Confederations Cup later this week...

If I were Bob Bradley... (WCQ - US v Honduras 6/6/09)

I like the idea of being able to choose a squad with out having to worry about my job relying on the success it brings. It is with that incredibly simplified view that I am picking a squad for tonight's WCQ match in Chicago.

------Howard------
Spector-Onyewu-DeMerit-Bocanegra
Dempsey-Clark-Adu-Torres
Altidore-Donovan

Some thoughts about it....

I see Adu and Torres as basically interchangeable. Whoever lines up in the middle is in what is a purely attacking role while the other is left to create from the outside.

Dempsey is given some free reign and the only reason he gets a start is b/c his history of inconsistency lends me to believe he'll play well this time out.

Ricardo Clark gets the nod b/c of Mastroeni's uninspired performance the other night; this is only qualifying no need to fall back on veterans and use the experience excuse. Let's see if Clark can step up in a big game and get into the mix for that CDM role. (A note...I would have loved to see Maurice Edu get a chance but he has been ruled out until the fall with Knee Surgery)

In the back, I think Demerit deserves a chance as well. He has fallen off the map as Watford didn't survive in the Premiership but he has shown an ability to both defend and lead. Move Bocanegra out wide as he is a more comfortable with the ball than Onyewu and see if moving a natural defender to LB works better than converting a Midfielder.

Check back tomorrow for some reactions...

God speed tonight.....

Well Then.....

A 3-1 thrashing at the hands of Costa Rica and a qualifying campaign that seemed to be running smoothly has suddenly become a little more tenuous. The squad that optimistically would have been able to put up at least a fight against Italy/Brazil in two weeks is now one that has all sorts of question marks about it.

Let's start with BB (Bob Bradley) . He had the squad responding to him; a quality performance against Mexico, a road comeback draw in El Salvador, and a thrashing of T&T, all while doing a good job of rotating a variety of players.

Now he faces a return trip to the US as #2 in the region with an upcoming must win in Chicago on Saturday vs Honduras, the #3 team in the region. His attempt to control the game from the midfield with what ended up being a 4-5-1 was a disaster from the beginning as no one seemed interested in defending, winning or maintaining possession. Backpasses are well and good but if you're going to rely on your keeper to get the ball upfield, you better not be relying on Landon Donovan to win the ball in the air.

Needing two goals, I do not understand the decision to remove Torres in favor of Klestjan as Torres was at least interested in offensive Soccer. While I love Clint Dempsey, he seemed entirely uninterested in even participating in the game...passes were off, wasn't challenging the ball, getting pushed off when he did come across it, and had no touch. Just b/c he is succeeding in the UK should not guarantee his spot in these games regardless of quality. He should have been removed at the half for Klestjan or Adu.

Adu did provide a spark when he got in there, as slight as it was; he always seems calm on the ball and thinking think creatively, and his decision to not play the daring ball is as important as when he does attempt them. He deserves a start on Saturday.

Altidore once again did a good job of holding up the ball and did ok distributing but Costa Rica gave him little space to move. Just as well though, no one seemed interested in supporting him. At least until Donovan woke up sometime in the middle of the 2nd half. I also believe he does a little better with a Striking partner, whether it be Ching or Charlie Davis...Ching is the choice if they are going to continue with Howard as the main distributor.

DaMarcus Beasley has been a staple for this team for years now but his future is not at the left back position. Defensively he just isn't there, whether he is too small or just doesn't think that way, I'm not sure...but I am sure that he's a liability. If you like Torres on the left, Beasley should just remain an option off the bench with an ability to provide a spark off the bench.

On the other side, Wynne looked decent going forward and has the speed/energy to get back but was completely cut up for that 2nd goal. He needs more time to develop I think and was clearly out of his element in an environment like that. Hejduk is my 1st choice over there still and hopefully Bradley gives Spector a chance on Saturday.

Onyewu and Bocanegra have the ability but they gotta get loud and take charge of this team on Saturday; they have the experience and the ability and need to exude confidence at all times....from the locker room straight through the match, give the squad something to feed off and believe in.